jamesclavell.noblehouse-第57章

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　〃I'm　not。　But　we　could　…　possibly。〃　Gornt　stubbed　out　his　cigar。　〃Par…Con's　a　long…term　effort　and　a　whole　different　set　of　problems。　First　Struan's。　Well？〃
　〃If　I　get　Struan's　Hong　Kong　property　division　…　35　percent　of　their　landholdings　in　Thailand　and　Singapore　and　we're　fifty…fifty　on　their　Kai　Tak　operation？〃　…
　〃Yes；　everything　except　Kai　Tak　…　I　need　that　to　round　off　All　Asia　Airways。　I'm　sure　you'll　understand；　old　boy。　But　you've　a　seat　on　the　board　of　the　new　pany；　ten　percent　of　the　stock　at　par；　seats　on　Struan's　of　course；　and　all　their　subsidiaries。〃
　〃15　percent。　And　chairmanship　of　Struan's；　alternate　years　with　you？〃
　〃Agreed；　but　I'm　first。〃　Gornt　lit　a　cigarette。　Why　not？　he　thought　expansively。　By　this　time　next　year　Struan's　will　be　dismembered　so　your　chairmanship　is　really　academic；　Jason　old　boy。　〃So　everything's　agreed？　We'll　put　it　in　a　joint　memo　if　you　like；　one　copy　for　each　of　us。〃
　Plumm　shook　his　head　and　smiled。　〃Don't　need　a　memo；　perish　the　thought！　Here。〃　He　held　out　his　hand。　〃I　agree！〃
　The　two　men　shook　hands　firmly。　〃Down　with　the　Noble　House！〃　They　both　laughed；　very　content　with　the　deal　they　had　made。　Acquisition　of　Struan's　landholdings　would　make　Asian　Properties　the　largest　land　pany　in　Hong　Kong。　Gornt　would　acquire　almost　a　total　monopoly　of　all　Hong　Kong's　air　cargo；　sea　freighting　and　factoring　…　and　preeminence　in　Asia。
　Good；　Gornt　thought。　Now　for　Four　Finger　Wu。　〃If　you'll　call　me　a　taxi　I'll　be　off。〃
　〃Take　my　car；　my　chauffeur　will…　〃
　〃Thanks　but　no；　I'd　rather　take　a　taxi。　Really；　Jason；　thanks　anyway。〃
　So　Plumm　phoned　down　to　the　concierge　of　the　twenty…story　apartment　building　which　was　owned　and　operated　by　his　Asian　Properties。　While　they　waited；　they　toasted　each　other　and　the　destruction　of　Struan's　and　the　profits　they　were　going　to　make。　A　phone　rang　in　the　adjoining　room。
　〃Excuse　me　a　moment；　old　chap。〃　Plumm　went　through　the　door　and　half…closed　it　behind　him。　This　was　his　private　bedroom　which　he　used　sometimes　when　he　was　working　late。　It　was　a　small；　very　neat　room；　soundproofed；　fitted　up　like　a　ship's　cabin　with　a　built…in　bunk；　hi…fi　speakers　that　piped　in　the　music；　a　small　self…contained　hot　plate　and　refrigerator。　And；　on　one　side；　was　a　huge　bank　of　elaborate；　shortwave；　ham　radio　transceiver　equipment　which　had　been　Jason　Plumm's　abiding　hobby　since　his　childhood。
　He　picked　up　the　phone。　〃Yes？〃
　〃Mr。　Lop…sing　please？〃　the　woman's　voice　said。
　〃There's　no　Mr。　Lop…ting　here；〃　he　said　easily。　〃Sorry；　you　have　a　wrong　number。〃
　〃I　want　to　leave　a　message。〃
　〃You　have　a　wrong　number。　Look　in　your　phone　book。〃
　〃An　urgent　message　for　Arthur：　Center　radioed　that　the　meeting's　postponed　until　the　day　after　tomorrow。　Standby　for　urgent　instructions　at　0600。〃　The　line　went　dead。　Again　a　dial　tone。
　Plumm　frowned　as　he　put　the　phone　back　on　its　cradle。
　
　Four　Finger　Wu　stood　at　the　gunnel　of　his　junk　with　Good…weather　Poon　watching　Gornt　get　into　the　sampan　that　he　had　sent　for　him。
　〃He　hasn't　changed　much　in　all　this　time；　has　he？〃　Wu　said　absently；　his　narrowed　eyes　glittering。
　〃Foreign　devils　all　look　alike　to　me；　never　mind。　How　many　years　is　it？　Ten？〃　Poon　asked；　scratching　his　piles。
　〃No；　it's　nearer　twelve　now。　Good　times　then；　heya；〃　Wu　said。　〃Lots　of　profit。　Very　good；　slipping　upstream　toward　Canton；　evading　the　foreign　devils　and　their　lackeys。　Chairman　Mao's　people　weling　us。　Yes。　Our　own　people　in　charge　and　not　a　foreign　devil　anywhere　…　nor　a　fat　official　wanting　his　hand　touched　with　fragrant　grease。　You　could　visit　all　your　family　and　friends　then　and　no　trouble；　heya？　Not　like　now；　heya？〃
　〃The　Reds're　getting　tough；　very　clever　and　very　tough　…　worse　than　the　Mandarins。〃
　Wu　turned　as　his　seventh　son　came　on　deck。　Now　the　young　man　wore　a　neat　white　shirt　and　gray　trousers　and　good　shoes。　〃Be　careful；〃　he　called　out　brusquely。　〃You're　sure　you　know　what　to　do？〃
　〃Yes；　Father。〃
　〃Good；〃　Four　Fingers　said；　hiding　his　pride。　〃I　don't　want　any　mistakes。〃
　He　watched　him　head　awkwardly　for　the　haphazard　gangway　of　planks　that　joined　this　junk　to　the　next　and　thence　across　other　junks　to　a　makeshift　landing　eight　boats　away。
　〃Does　Seventh　Son　know　anything　yet？〃　Poon　asked　softly。
　〃No；　no　not　yet；〃　Wu　said　sourly。　〃Those　dogmeat　fools　to　be　caught　with　my　guns！　Without　the　guns；　all　our　work　will　be　for　nothing。〃
　
　〃Evening；　Mr。　Gornt。　I'm　Paul　Choy　…　my　uncle　Wu　sent　me　to　show　you　the　way；〃　the　young　man　said　in　perfect　English；　repeating　the　lie　that　was　now　almost　the　real　truth　to　him。
　Gornt　stopped；　startled；　then　continued　up　the　rickety　stairs；　his　sea　legs　better　than　the　young　man's。　〃Evening；〃　he　said。　〃You're　American？　Or　did　you　just　go　to　school　there；　Mr。　Choy？〃
　〃Both。〃　Paul　Choy　smiled。　〃You　know　how　it　is。　Watch　your　head　on　the　ropes　…　and　it's　slippery　as　hell。〃　He　turned　and　began　to　lead　the　way　back。　His　real　name　was　Wu　Fang　Choi　and　he　was　his　father's　seventh　son　by　his　third　wife；　but；　when　he　was　born；　his　father　Four　Finger　Wu　had　sought　a　Hong　Kong　birth　certificate　for　him；　an　unusual　act　for　a　boat　dweller；　put　his　mother's　maiden　name　on　the　birth　certificate；　added　Paul　and　got　one　of　his　cousins　to　pose　as　the　real　father。
　〃Listen；　my　son；〃　Four　Finger　Wu　had　said；　as　soon　as　Paul　could　understand；　〃when　speaking　Haklo　aboard　my　ship；　you　can　call　me　Father　…　but　never　in　front　of　a　foreign　devil；　even　in　Haklo。　All　other　times　I'm　'Uncle；'　just　one　of　many　uncles。　Understand？〃
　〃Yes。　But　why；　Father？　Have　I　done　something　wrong？　I'm　sorry　if　I've　offended　you。〃
　〃You　haven't。　You're　a　good　boy　and　you　work　hard。　It's　just　better　for　the　family　for　you　to　have　another　name。〃
　〃But　why；　Father？〃
　〃When　it's　time　you　will　be　told。〃　Then；　when　he　was　twelve　and　trained　and　had　proved　his　value；　his　father　had　sent　him　to　the　States。　〃Now　you're　to　learn　the　ways　of　the　foreign　devil。　You　must　begin　to　speak　like　one；　sleep　like　one；　bee　one　outwardly　but　never　forget　who　you　are；　who　your　people　are；　or　that　all　foreign　devils　are　inferior；　hardly　human　beings；　and　certainly　not　fornicating　civilized。〃
　Paul　Choy　laughed　to　himself。　If　Americans　only　knew　…　from　tai…pan　to　meathead　…　and　British；　Iranians；　Germans；　Russians；　every　race　and　color；　if　they　all　really　knew　what　even　the　lousiest　coolie　thought　of　them；　they'd　hemorrhage；　he　told　himself　for　the　millionth　time。　It's　not　that　all　the　races　of　China　despise　foreigners；　it's　just　that　foreigners're　just　beneath　any　consideration。　Of　course　we're　wrong；　he　told　himself。　Foreigners　are　human　and　some　are　civilized　…　in　their　way　…　and　far　ahead　of　us　technically。　But　we　are　better。　。。。
　〃Why　the　smile？〃　Gornt　asked；　ducking　under　ropes；　avoiding　rubbish　that　scattered　all　the　decks。
　〃Oh；　I　was　just　thinking　how　crazy　life　is。　This　time　last　month　I　was　surfing　at　Malibu　Colony；　California。　Boy；　Aberdeen's　something　else；　isn't　it？〃
　〃You　mean　the　smell？〃
　〃Sure。〃
　〃Yes　it　is。〃
　〃It's　not　much　better　at　high　tide。　No　one　but　me　seems　to　smell　the　stench！〃
　〃When　were　you　last　here？〃
　〃Couple　of　years　back　…　for　ten　days　…　after　I　graduated；　B。A。　in　business；　but　I　never　seem　to　get　used　to　it。〃　Choy　laughed。　〃New　England　it　ain't！〃
　〃Where　did　you　go　to　school？〃
　〃Seattle　first。　Then　undergraduate　school；　University　of　Washington　at　Seattle。　Then　I　got　a　master's　at　Harvard；　Harvard　Business　School。〃
　Gornt　stopped。　〃Harvard？〃
　〃Sure。　I　got　an　assist；　a　scholarship。〃
　〃That's　very　good。　When　did　you　graduate？〃
　〃June　last　year。　It　was　like　getting　out　of　prison！　Boy；　they　really　put　your　ass　on　the　block　if　you　don't　keep　up　your　grades。　Two　years　of　hell！　After　I　got　out　I　headed　for　California　with　a　buddy；　doing　odd　jobs　here　and　there　to　make　enough　to　keep　surfing；　having　ourselves　a　time　after　sweating　out　so　much　school。　Then　。。。〃　Choy　grinned。　〃　。。。　then　a　couple　of　months　back　Uncle　Wu　caught　up　with　me　and　said　it's　time　you　went　to　work　so　here　I　am！　After　all；　he　paid　for　my　education。　My　parents　died　years　ago。〃
　〃Were　you　top　of　your　class　at　Harvard？〃
　〃Third。〃
　〃That's　very　good。〃
　〃Thank　you。　It's　not　far　now；　ours　is　the　end　junk。〃
　They　negotiated　a　precarious　gangway；　Gornt　watched　suspiciously　by　silent　boat　dwellers　as　they　crossed　from　floating　home　to　floating　home；　the　families　dozing　or　cooking　or　eating　or　playing　mah…jong；　some　still　repairing　fishing　nets；　some　children　night　fishing。
　〃This　bit's　slippery；　Mr。　Gornt。〃　He　jumped　onto　the　tacky　deck。　〃We　made　it！　Home　sweet　home！〃　He　tousled　the　hair　of　the　sleepy　little　boy　who　was　the　lookout　and　said　in　Haklo；　which　he　knew　Gornt　did　not　understand；　〃Keep　awake；　Little　Brother；　or　the　devils　will　get　us。〃
　〃Yes；　yes　I　will；〃　the　boy　piped；　his　suspicious　eyes　on　Gornt。　Paul　Choy　led　the　way　below。　The　old　junk　smelled　of　tar　and　teak；　rotting　fish　and　sea　salt　and　a　thousand　storms。　Below　decks　the　midship　gangway　opened　on　to　the　normal　single　large　cabin　for'ard　that　went　the　breadth　of　the　ship　and　the　length　to　the　bow。　An　open　charcoal　fire　burned　in　a　careless　brick　fireplace　with　a　sooty　kettle　singing　over　it。　Smoke　curled　upward　and　found　its　way　to　the　outside　through　a　rough　flue　cut　in　the　deck。　A　few　old　rattan　chairs；　tables　and　tiers　of　rough　bunks　lined　one　side。
　Four　Finger　Wu　was　alone　and　he　waved　at　one　of　the　chairs　and　beamed。　〃Heya；　good　see；〃　he　said　in　halting；　hardly　understandable　English。　〃Whiskey？〃
　〃Thanks；〃　Gornt　said。　〃Good　to　see　you　too。〃
　Paul　Choy　poured　the　good　Scotch　into　two　semiclean　glasses。
　〃You　want　water；　Mr。　Gornt？〃　he　asked。
　〃No；　straight's　fine。　Not　too　much　please。〃
　〃Sure。〃
　Wu　accepted　his　glass　and　toasted　Gornt。　〃Good　see　you；　heya？〃
　〃Yes。　Health！〃
　They　watched　Gornt　sip　his　whiskey。
　〃Good；〃　Gornt　said。　〃Very　good　whiskey。〃
　Wu　beamed　again　and　motioned　at　Paul。　〃Him　sister　son。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Good　school　…　Golden　Country。〃
　〃Yes。　Yes；　he　told　me。　You　should　be　very　proud。〃
　〃Wat？〃
　Paul　Choy　translated　for　the　old　man。　〃Ah　thank；　thank　you。　He　talk　good；　heya？〃
　〃Yes。〃　Gornt　smiled。　〃Very　good。〃
　〃Ah；　good　never　mind。　Smoke？〃
　〃Thank　you。〃　They　watched　Gornt　take　a　cigarette。　Then　Wu　took　one　and　Paul　Choy　lit　both　of　them。　Another　silence。
　〃Good　with　old　frien'？〃
　〃Yes。　And　you？〃
　〃Good。〃　Another　silence。　〃Him　sister　son；〃　the　old　seaman　said　again　and　saw　Gornt　nod　and　say　nothing；　waiting。　It　pleased　him　that　Gornt　just　sat　there；　waiting　patiently　for　him　to　e　to　the　point　as　a　civilized　person　should。
　Some　of　these　pink　devils　are　learning　at　long　last。　Yes；　but　some　have　learned　too　fornicating　well　…　the　tai…pan　for　instance；　him　with　those　cold；　ugly　blue　fish…eyes　that　most　foreign　devils　have；　that　stare　at　you　like　a　dead　shark　…　the　one　who　can　even　speak　a　little　Haklo　dialect。　Yes；　the　tai…pan's　too　cunning　and　too　civilized；　but　then　he's　had　generations　before　him　and　his　ancestors　had　the　Evil　Eye　before　him。　Yes；　but　old　Devil　Green　Eyes；　the　first　of　his　line；　who　made　a　pact　with　my　ancestor　the　great　sea　warlord；　Wu　Fang　Choi　and　his　son；　Wu　Kwok；　and　kept　it；　and　saw　that　his　sons　kept　it　…　and　their　sons。　So　this　present　tai…pan　must　be